If you want to nurture a reader, you need to get them started early by selecting books from children’s book categories that not only suit their age but also their reading capabilities.

“It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading. Something that will stretch their imaginations – – something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own.”
—Katherine Patterson

Today let us take a look at the different categories of children’s books in both fiction and non-fiction genres. The categories target readers as per maturity of content, number of pages and type of books. 

{If your child loves to write, here are 16 Places to Submit Children’s Writing in India}

Growing up, my passion was ignited because I had access to the right books. As I grew up, the genre, type, storyline, and plot evolved alongside my passion. The different categories ensured that my reading experience met the level of my developmental stage. The children’s books I read not only were exciting and fun but helped me navigate my world. It often times helped me not only connect with my contemporaries but also understand the adults around me.

Therefore, understanding these categories are essential in making sure that kids read books that cater to their reading capabilities while sparking their imaginations.

The Children Book Categories are

1. Board Books: (Ages 1-3)

These books are catered towards infants and toddlers and are made out of durable paperboard that allows young children to handle them without readily ruining the pages. They consist of bringing eye-catching colors, with simplistic designs and illustrations that are recognizable to the toddler, with big bold basic text. These books usually break down preliminary topics of letters, colors, numbers, animals and everyday objects with an aim to engage with the toddlers and encourage them to understand basic fundamentals. There is also a category of board books called “Pop-up books” that have an exciting element of surprise with 3-D elements of touch and create a sensory richer experience. 

Board Book Recommendations: 

• “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle. The book, through the tale of a caterpillar, tells kids the importance of healthy foods and the need to avoid junk food from their eating habits. 
• “Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown. Importance of sleeping on time/ creating a night-time routine. 
• “Giraffes can’t dance” by Giles Andreae. Accepting everyone is different and everyone has their own unique qualities.
• “Peek-A-Who?” by Nina Laden. Pop-up and interactive book that reveals fun surprises after each page.  

2. Picture Books : (3-5)

Picture books are useful in bridging the gap between visual cues and language. These books are heavily reliant on the use of pictures, drawings and illustrations  to convey the message/ theme of the story. These books are usually read to kids by parents as most children are just starting to develop their reading skills at this age. There can be both nonfiction and fiction picture books. Non fiction books’ purpose is to educate and create awareness amongst a child, whereas fiction books aim is to spark imagination and creativity. 

Picture Book Recommendations:

• “We’re All Wonders” by R.J. Palacio. An unforgettable story about an autistic kid Auggie in a bestseller novel and movie reimagined in the form of a picture book.  
• “The Jungle Radio: Bird Songs of India” by Devangana Dash. Introducing kids to the diversity of birds of India. 
• “The Gruffalo”, “Room on a Broom” & “Monkey Puzzle”  by Julia Donaldson.

3. Early Readers: (5-8)

Before jumping into chapter books, kids should also attempt to read Early readers books that have simple sentence structure, vocabulary and can be a great opportunity to boost a kid’s reading confidence. They consist of large fonts and illustrations and can help the child read independently for the first time. The Penguin Young Readers (PYR) are a series of books that break down the early reader books into 4 levels based on difficulty level. PYR is a great opportunity for children to advance and level-up their reading skills. 

Recommendations for Early Readers:

• Level 1: “Clara and Clem in Outer Space” by Ethan Long. Story about Clara and Chems adventure in space, as they built a robot out of playing blocks. 
• Level 2: “Monster Next Door “ by  LadyBird. George and Monster swap families for a day, what could go wrong? 
• Level 3: “The Bookstore Burglar” by Barbara Maitland. The keys to Black Cat Bookstore are missing, the clever cat Cobweb is on the case to solve this mystery. 
• Level 4: “The Wizard of Oz” by Richard Johnson and LadyBird. The classic tale of a young girl named Dorthy and she finds herself in the magical world of Oz. 

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”
— Frederick Douglass

4. Chapter books: (7-10)

Compared to Early Readers books, chapter books have a more complex plot structure but still have small chapters. These stories are easy and quick to read. These are also easy to comprehend for the young minds. They usually follow a young protagonist who faces age appropriate issues and are relatable for the children reading them. Chapter books can come as a standalone or a series. Through chapter books children have the power to have their own creative reign and bring life to words written on paper through their vibrant imagination.

Chapter Book Recommendations: 

• “The Secret Seven” series by Enid Blyton. This book follows a group of child detectives and they work together to solve the town mysteries. 
• “The Blue Umbrella” book by Ruskin Bond. Heartwarming tale, set in the author’s hometown in India about a young girl prized possession; a silk blue umbrella. 
• “Charlotte’s web” by E.B. White. Story is about the friendship between Wibbur the pig and Charlotte the spider. 

5. Middle Grade books (10-13)

The target audience for middle school books are middle school students. They are also referred as junior fiction. It usually follows a protagonist of the ages 10 -13, and has longer narratives with more nuanced characters. Its word count can range anywhere from (30,000 to 50,000 ) words and are often narrated in the third person perspective. Most middle grade books revolve around the central themes of family, friends and growing up. Fantasy genre is extremely popular around this age group as well. 

{If you are looking for an illustrator for your children’s book, check out this list of 36 Children’s Book Illustrators in India}

Middle Grade Recommendations: 

• “Percy Jackson Series” by Rick Riordan. The book follows the protagonist, Percy, a demigod and challenges to stay alive as a half mortal and half greek god. 
• “Wonder” by R.J. Palacio: This book tells the story of Auggie Pullman, a fifth-grader with facial deformities, as he navigates the challenges of fitting in at a new school.
• “The Series of Unfortunate Events” by Daniel Handler. The book is about the hard and unfortunate lives of the orphan Baudelaire siblings, as the evil Count Olof tries to take away their inheritance. 

6. YA/ Young Adult book (13-18)

These books are targeted towards teenagers and follow a teen protagonist. Unlike Middle Grade books, YA books can be read and enjoyed by adults as well as they offer much more mature content and diverse genres such as romance, sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, mystery etc. Many of them also address real world issues with central themes such as identity and relationships.

The most popular sub-genre in this children book category is “coming of age” stories. As during this time kids are evolving from adolescence to adulthood, the characters and stories also start becoming more diverse, to capture characters of a plethora of ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, and backgrounds. 

In recent times, many popular YA books have also been adapted into movie and tv-show that have huge fan bases amongst teens. These books encourage and empower teens to read for pleasure and enjoyment. 

{Are you looking for a specific edition? Here’s our blog post to help you – How to find a book edition?}

Young Adult Recommendations: 
YA coming of age : “Perks of being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky.
YA fiction: “The book thief”  by Markus Zusak & “The Hate U Give”  by Angie Thomas
YA romance: “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” by Benjamin Sáenz
YA thriller/ mystery: “The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” by Holly Jackson. 
YA sci-fi: “Scythe” by Neal Shusterman
YA non-fiction: “The diary of a young girl” by Anne Frank. 

“Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him.”
—Maya Angelou

These kinds of classifications in kids books can help children read books that are not only age-appropriate but also aligns well with their reading level. However, one should keep in mind that these classifications can also be restricting and limiting. Each child’s reading journey is unique. We should remember that each child has their own comprehension level, pace and preferences. Some pick up words, sentence structure and pronunciation way quicker than others whereas other kids require time and patience. Dyslexic / kids that suffer from disorders that hinder their ability to read efficiently need more support and understanding. 

While these categories can act like a guidebook, in helping find books suitable for your kids, it is essential to look beyond these categories and understand the reading needs or requirements of your child and encourage them to pick up books that pique their curiosity. 

{What is your take on the book banning culture? Here’s a list of 10 Books Banned in India. Have you read any of them?}